Mark Louis and Kristy King become involved with murder when they visit Erin Blakely, a college friend of Kristy’s whom she hasn’t seen in half-a-dozen years. The murder occurs right after Jeremy Casterbridge, an old college boyfriend of Erin’s, shows up, newly released from prison, and claiming to be the father of Erin’s daughter Raven. Mark, Kristy, Erin and Jeremy are swept up in the aftermath of the terrible crime. Erin moves to New York, and Mark invites her to join the AWB Theatre Company, but Jeremy shows up again. Hoping to uncover the truth about Erin’s tangled life, Mark and Kristy investigate Erin’s past and present, turning her from a friend into an enemy. What they find reinforces their belief that love does conquer all—or at least it tries its best to.

            Mark paid the bill and hurried to the car. The scene at Erin’s house was unsettling. Two police cars with flashing lights sat in her driveway, and the lights burned inside her house. Two uniformed police officers prowled the sides of the house, flashlights in hand, scouring the ground. They looked up when Erin’s car caught them in its headlights. One of the officers approached.

           “What’s going on?” Erin asked in alarm.

           “Who are you, ma’am?” the officer asked in a neutral voice.

           “I live here.”

           “Come with me.”

           Mark and Kristy followed Erin and the officer inside the house. Another officer stood inside the front door, and two men dressed in suits stood next to the sofa in conversation.

           “Lieutenant, this woman claims to live here,” the officer reported before turning around and going back outside.

           “Are you Mrs. Blakely?”

           “Yes.”

           “And these folks?”

           “Friends of mine. Houseguests. We were out for dinner. What’s happened?”

           “I have bad news for you. There was some kind of incident. A man we’ve identified as Peter Blakely was found outside. I’m afraid he’s dead.”

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