Journalist Brenda Banks is on the verge of the biggest story of her career--if she can stay alive long enough to finish it. A serial killer is targeting men in the small town of Slaughter Creek, leaving behind a twisted trail of clues meant only for Brenda. It's a dangerous, deadly game, one she cannot master without the help of FBI Special Agent Nick Blackwood, the man she's loved since high school--and whose tormented past could hold the key to catching a killer.

Nick Blackwood barely survived childhood at the hands of his father, a sadistic mastermind known as the Commander. Since he left town, he's spent his life chasing criminals--and trying to forget the beauty he once loved. But when a murder investigation brings him face-to-face with Brenda Banks, Nick cannot ignore the smoldering fire she rekindles in his troubled soul. Allowing Brenda into his heart means letting down his guard--and that's just what the killer is counting on...