UNKNOWN

Dean Deveraux wants to get back on his feet after a lifetime of addiction and the failures that go with it. He never planned to return to his parents' trailer in Mahuenga after his mother's death but, then, he never planned anything. Before he gets a chance to feel too sorry for himself, he's caught up in the disappearance of a teenage sex worker after she has a violent encounter with someone in a dark parking lot. Was she murdered? Kidnapped? Or did she leave town in a hurry for reasons of her own? There are very few clues to go on, but Dean pursues the murky trail until he finds the truth.

Elena E. Smith is a hard-boiled cozy writer who grew up in Arizona then spent her adult life in L.A. She has had several careers, including entry-level jobs in the entertainment industry, advertising sales account executive, and paralegal. She has been to London and Paris, and owned a horse. Smith has a Bachelor's degree in Adult Basic Education and a certificate in Criminal Justice.