Publisher's Synopsis
Joshua Todaro and Rachel McAlister are in his apartment on Pike Place in Seattle, Joshua thrills Rachel by asking her to marry him. The next day he is to present his architecture plans for a lakeside conference center to the mayor. But in the morning Rachel's dreams are shattered when she is in her office across the street from his apartment, and a shot is fired from the hallway through her window, fatally piercing Joshua's skull.
Ted Tourville, leading the murder investigation, hates Rachel, because he thinks she ruined his career a year ago when she was a detective. She killed a city councilman while responding to a 911 call and Ted was caught at the scene on an unapproved stakeout. Rachel believes Ted killed Joshua out of revenge and is sabotaging the investigation. Detective Diane Scanlan, Rachel's old partner in war in Afghanistan and peace in Seattle, helps Rachel confront Ted. In a flashback, Rachel remembers back to Afghanistan: Rachel saves Joshua's life. Rachel and Diane earn the Silver Star and Bronze star, respectively, in Afghanistan. At a Pentagon awards ceremony Joshua gives Rachel the jagged, deformed bullet to remember him by.
Ted arrives at Rachel's house with a sneer and a warrant to search for her gun. Desperate, she calls Meredith Cummings, with whom she had worked before, who agrees to act as Rachel's attorney. Ted gloats when he finds Rachel's gun in the back yard.
That night, Rachel cannot sleep. She despairs, knowing Ted will get away with murdering Joshua. She goes to Ted's house on Queen Anne Hill to kill him. But when she sees the silhouette of Ted's wife Sandra in a window, she can't do it. Ted surprises her and wants to take her in, but then Diane arrives and warns Ted that Rachel has not broken any law. Diane and Rachel go to Diane's house. There, Rachel sees Diane's wedding picture, and breaks down in grief for Joshua.
Rachel is finally getting a chance to mourn at Joshua's funeral. Sylvia Todaro, Joshua's sister, confronts her violently. Detective Ted Tourville shows up and triumphantly arrests her for the murder of her fiancé. The funeral goers watch as she's led away in handcuffs.
