The Dark of DayThe Dark of Day
C. J. is an expert at spinning her clients' image - the perfect lawyer to deflect suspicion from Rick Slater, formerly Army Special Forces, now a driver for an influential U.S. congressman. A young model named Alana Martin has vanished from a glitzy party on South Beach, and cops want to question Slater, the last person seen with her, C. J. has reasons to dislike Slater's boss, but if she takes this case, the congressman can get her a job hosting a show on a major news outlet. For a woman who grew up dirt-poor, the celebrity life has its appeal, C. J. hopes to make the case go away quickly, but the story is too hot. Reporters and paparazzi descend, and soon C. J. finds herself in the glare of the spotlight.
When Rick Slater tells her that a friend of Alana's could be his alibi, C. J. realizes the girl is someone she knows: Kylie Willis, a seventeen-year-old runaway from the same north Florida town where C. J. was born. The problem is, Kylie won't talk, and Slater isn't coming clean, either.
C. J. finds a disturbing connection between Alana and a pornographer who uses underage girls. Is Kylie involved too? Or is the truth more about Alana's link to a group of investors in a project on environmentally sensitive land? One of them is a VIP client of C. J.'s, elusive architect Milo Cahill, who may be bribing the congressman. Another is C. J.'s lover, Billy Medina. But when C. J. asks Billy for answers, he claims not to know. Seductive as Billy is, his love of the lush life is dangerous for a woman who's trying to stay sober.
The disappearance turns to a homicide, and C. J., wonders if she can trust Rick Slater, a man she is drawn to, a man with secrets of his own. As the media close in, C. J. weighs her desire for fame against the risk of losing everything she values most.
New York Times bestselling author Barbara Parker introduces one of the most unforgettable female characters in suspense fiction: high-profile Miami defense attorney C.J. Dunn.
C.J. is an expert at spinning her clients’ image in the media—the perfect lawyer to deflect suspicion from Rick Slater, head of security for an influential U.S. congressman. A beautiful model has vanished from a party on Miami Beach, and Slater was the last person seen with her. C.J. has reasons to dislike the congressman, but if she takes this case he can arrange a host position for her on a major news outlet. For a woman who grew up dirt-poor, with a past she would rather forget, the celebrity life has its appeal.
The story of Alana Martin’s disappearance soon sets off a media frenzy. Reporters and paparazzi hound everyone connected to the case, and C.J. must work fast before they uncover her own secrets, too.
When Rick Slater tells her that a friend of Alana’s could be his alibi witness, C.J. realizes the girl is someone she knows: Kylie Willis, a seventeen-year-old runaway from the same north Florida town where C.J. was born. The problem is, Kylie won’t talk. As C.J. digs into the case, she finds connections between Alana and a group of investors in a project on environmentally sensitive land. One of them is the elusive architect Milo Cahill, one of C.J.’s own VIP clients, who may be bribing the congressman. Another is C.J.’s lover, Miami Beach socialite Billy Medina. But when C.J. asks Billy for information, he brushes her off. She wonders if she’s been foolish about Billy. Or is the problem just her growing attraction to her client Rick?
Then Alana Martin is found—dead. Her body washes up on a beach late one night, and the coroner says it was murder. The police have evidence against Slater. C.J. is slammed between the media and the need to defend a client she doesn’t trust. She must find Kylie Willis. The girl could save Rick Slater—but she might also reveal a devastating secret, one that could destroy C.J.’s career, and even, her life.
A young woman vanishes from a celebrity-studded party on South Beach. The media descend, and the spotlight threatens to reveal the secret past of a high-profile criminal defense attorney.
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- New York : Vanguard Press, Expected publication date - 2008/08/31
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