As Denver lawyer Adam Larsen and his legal assistant enter a wealthy client's mansion for an evening appointment, they are literally blown off their feet. The bomb in her private bathroom killed her instantly--and leaves Adam wondering why she wanted so urgently to meet with him.
Known to her many enemies as The Empress, mining magnate Helen Emerson had been in the midst of a bitter dispute with a coal miners union, and now her children persuade Adam to fight their battle for them. He soon finds himself embroiled in hostile negotiations, receiving death threats, and dealing with a gun-toting femme fatale. And then matters get complicated... |
We headed toward the exit, with me in the lead. I'd completely forgotten about the inclement weather outside. I don't know what would have happened if my foot hadn't slipped on the snow as I stepped out of the building, but fortunately that's exactly what happened. As I turned to talk to her, I lost my footing and had to twist my body, to keep from falling. As I did, I heard the sound of a gunshot, and at the same moment a thud, as a chunk of the brick building came flying through the air.
I went down and stayed down, grabbing for my Terrier. The shot had come from the thicket of trees north of the building. I kept still, looking for any sign of the shooter. I was vaguely aware that Jana was lying next to me. Then there were three explosions, loud and in rapid sequence. I jerked my head in her direction. She had her arms outstretched in front of her and had just fired off three rounds from an automatic pistol. |
