It is the opportunity of a lifetime for Kate Chandler, the
chance to cut seven rare, priceless sapphires and solidify
her reputation as a world-class jewel cutter. But something
goes horribly, tragically wrong during what should have
been a simple transfer of goods. The sapphires vanish
without a trace. Missing also is the man Kate trusted to
transport the gems: her half brother, Lee, who now, quite
possibly, is dead. And suddenly she is on the run, pursued
by federal agents who suspect her of being the criminal
mastermind of a cunning bait-and-switch scheme.
Special agent Sam Groves is one of the best of the best, an
essential member of the FBI's elite crime strike force and
the perfect man to lead the hunt, since he could never be
scammed by a beautiful confidence woman. But something is
troubling about this assignment, because someone else is
chasing Kate Chandler as well.
Only Kate suspects the awful truth: She's unwittingly
stumbled into a conspiracy of deceit, betrayal, and cold-
blooded murder that goes far beyond a simple jewel heist.
And a chilling, threatening voice on the telephone only
confirms her worst suspicions. Getting Sam Groves, the FBI
agent who's her constant shadow, to believe her is a step
in the right direction -- but it may be one that's too
little too late in a bloody game where terror dictates her
every move and the rules are constantly changing. Because
the order has already been passed down to a ruthlessly
efficient assassin: Kate Chandler must not be allowed to
live ...