Every day for Becker Gray is a struggle to keep himself from collapse, and the best way he's discovered to do that is to hide from his past, his guilt, and his pain. He's been known to over think, over drink, and under sleep. His job as a detective in the major crimes division affords him the luxury of keeping his mind off his tragic personal life, being too busy to drink, and making good use of the time he's not sleeping. And this kidnapping case is another great opportunity to avoid his life. That is, until he identifies too much with the victim. Valerie Hardy was terrorized as a child. As a result, her protective parents forced her into an existence of isolation and detachment -- just as Gray had framed his own life. When the man returns after ten years to terrorize Valerie again by abducting her, Gray must figure out what's happened before the kidnapper fulfills his promise to kill her. Yet, in the process, Gray collapses, losing control of himself and, briefly, even reality. Worse, during his lapse of self control, the sadistic kidnapper turns his wicked attention to Gray.