A Sunday school teacher plots murder. A fugitive from a manslaughter charge returns home to a foggy California beach town hoping to protect his sister from her estranged husband, a mob-connected gambler. He enlists the help of his closest old friend, now a devoted Christian family man. After exploring all options, they decide the only sure way to protect the sister is to kill the gambler. "... a water-tight thriller and an elegy to friendship. It possesses the qualities of Dennis Lehane’s best— the same sense of long-seasoned relationships, unrealized expectations, and even a kind of grace. I finished it just two days ago and could start it again right now.” — Timothy Hallinan, author of the Poke Rafferty Bangkok thrillers and the Junior Bender Mysteries “... riveting classic noir, teeming with suspense arising from questions we all face: how loyal are we; how willing to sacrifice; how deep is our love. Beautifully written and intriguing at every turn, this novel will linger in your mind and heart. A winner!” — Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling novelist.